State

Nagaland given target to produce 50 mw solar power

Of the 100 gw of solar power targeted to be generated in India by 2022, 40 gw is projected to be generated from rooftop solar (RTS) system, and Nagaland has been given the target of generating 50 mw through RTS. This was stated by Yuvaraj Dinesh Babu Nithyanandam, team leader of the agency tasked with implementing SUPRABHA under the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), during a workshop-cum-seminar on RTS held at Hotel Japfü here Thursday.

Organised by World Bank in coordination with the State directorate of new & renewable energy, the workshop was aimed at giving a better understanding about RTS technology and begin its implementation in Nagaland.

Speaking about Sustainable Partnership for Rooftop Solar Acceleration in Bharat (SUPRABHA), Nithyanandam said MNRE had provided technical assistance to around 17 States so far, while World Bank had been tasked to look after capacity building in the entire North-eastern region. He remarked that SUPRABHA’s proposed engagement with Nagaland was aimed at developing an exclusive solar rooftop policy, capacity building – training of utility engineers, entrepreneurs, bankers, etc – unified web portal for online subsidy and interconnection modules etc.

Addressing the participants, deputy team leader Dr Bivek Bandyopadhyay mentioned that World Bank and Global Environment Fund (GEF) had launched a large financing programme in 2016 to support India’s RTS target. He said RTS was emerging as a solution to de-centralised renewable energy generation globally due to plummeting cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology and its capacity to generate electricity from solar power beyond the limit of land availability. He further added that along with hydroelectric projects in the State, the rooftop solar PV would act as an enabling agent for a “Green Nagaland”.

Meanwhile, adviser to chief minister on information technology, science & technology and NRE Mmhonlumo Kikon thanked World Bank for providing support and hoped that all stakeholders – engineers from power department, NERC, electrical inspectorate, PWD, urban development and NRE – would benefit from this workshop.

Regarding RTS, he said the State government had proposed setting up of small solar parks with 23 mw capacities, but was facing problems, especially in funding for infrastructural development.

Kikon added that once the funding for infrastructural development was in place, the government would invite independent power developers and investors to develop the project or go for a joint venture. This was stated in a DIPR press release.